Citroen C3 Pluriel
Citroen C3 Pluriel, Manual 5Spd Convertible NCV, 2 doors
The Citroën C2 is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2003. A completely different car, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2.
Along with the Citroën C3, the C2 was intended to replace the popular Citroën Saxo. The two cars have relatively different designs allowing Citroën to grab different sub-markets of the supermini class. The C2 was designed by Donato Coco. The C3 was originally designed as a larger “family friendly” vehicle” being 5 doors, whereas the C2 is seen as a “young driver” image with 2 doors and flatter styling, though still with low power.
The L model is the “no-frills” version of the C2 and comes with basic equipment, including black plastic bumpers and no fog lamps. The LX model, produced from 2003 to 2005, came with black lower bumper and door handles, CD player, rear seat modulation and no fog lamps. The Design includes body-coloured bumpers and electric windows. The SX is the luxury spec. It features ‘bumper colour coded paint’ and air conditioning, the latter of which has an unfortunate effect on the 1.1 SX performance, increasing the 0-100 km/h time by 3 seconds to 17.2 seconds.
The Furio, VTR and VTS are the sports models which made the C2’s predecessor, the Saxo, famous as an affordable, sporty-looking and very fast ‘pocket rocket’. The Furio has exactly the same sports body kit as the more expensive VTR and VTS models but lacks the alloy wheels of those models.
The VTR also has an adequate 110 bhp engine, whereas the VTS is the premium sports model, with a 125 bhp engine capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds, seen as sluggish by modern hot hatch standards where the fastest hot hatch achieves 5.3 seconds (Clio V6), although this is obviously designed to be more insurance-friendly. Other additions which helped the VTS model achieve a low insurance rating (in the UK) were security based including deadlocks and a Thatcham Category 1 alarm system which includes perimeter and volumetric detection as well as engine immobiliser.
2004’s limited edition GT model offered a sporty bodykit, with bright red, blue, silver and black paintwork and unique white alloy wheels. All GTs had a number certificate to show their authenticity.
2006 saw a number of small revisions to the C2. Externally the car looks identical save minor changes to alloy wheels (on the VTR), half colour coded door mirrors, clear side indicator lenses, and white indicator rear lenses. Internal changes saw a new electrical system, new stereo with vehicle computer integration and some cosmetic changes to the driver displays and centre console.
VTR and VTS are abbreviations of Vitesse Tres Rapide (Very Fast speed) and Vitesse Tres Sportif respectively (Very Sporting Speed).
The VTR Sensodrive and VTS Manual are the two current petrol options available for the Australian C2.
The Citroën C2 brings with it two key new technologies, the Stop & Start environmental system, and the SensoDrive five speed semi-automatic transmission.
Similar technology to the Stop & Start system was previously seen in the 1980s, with the VW Polo “Formel E” and the VW Golf MKIII “Ecomatic”.
Starting in October 2006, the Peugeot 206 will be sold by PSA, for the Chinese market only, under the Citroën brand, with a modified front and rear body; this is similar to the way the Citroën LN was derived from the 104. The car will be sold as the Citroën C2, although it has no common features with the model sold on other markets, due to the positioning of the model in the Citroën China line-up.
According to forecasts, more than 40,000 units of this new vehicle will be produced in China at the Wuhan DPCA site over a full year.
Citroën C2 “China” press release
After the success of Citroen’s Xsara in the World Rally Championship (WRC), Citroen expanded their interests to dominate not only the WRC but the sister championship - the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) in 2004. The Citroen Saxo Super 1600 JWRC car was highly successful in the late 90s (the car propelled Sebastian Loeb to the attentions of Citroen’s WRC team), but with the new C2 replacing the aging Saxo, Citroen concentrated upon making their new car a winner. Using a heavily modified C2 to create the ‘Citroen C2 Super 1600′, the Works team succeeded in winning the championship that year and in 2005. The C2 Super 1600 still competes in the championship with privateer teams, and still remains dominant despite newer and more technically advanced machinery from Suzuki, Renault and Fiat Works teams.
The Citroën C3 is a supermini car with a range of inline-4 engines that has been produced by the French automaker Citroën since 2002. It was launched to replace the Citroën Saxo with the Citroën C2. It was designed by Donato Coco and Jean-Pierre Ploué, previously known for designing the Renault Twingo; the former has been the head of the Citroën design team since 1999. A mini MPV version of the C3, reportedly to be marketed as the C3 StreetLounge, was scheduled to be released in 2007.
The C3 is available with 1.1 L, 1.4 L and 1.6 L petrol engines, and 1.4 L and 1.6 L HDi engines. All models come with the option of a five speed manual transmission, except for the Stop & Start, which can only be supplied with Citroën’s SensoDrive gearbox - a five speed semi-automatic transmission, which has two shifting options of either the fully automated mode, or the paddle-shifted/gear-shifted manual mode. The SX model is the only version that has the option of a four speed fully-automatic transmission.
In accordance with PSA Group policy, the C3’s chassis was used for the Peugeot 1007. Many components of the C3 are the same as those of the Peugeot 206, for example the external mirrors.
A new C3 model appeared in July 2003, the highly-adaptable C3 Pluriel, which can be configured as a full or partial convertible or a closed car, thanks to its detachable roof bars and folding fabric roof. In its adaptability, the C3 Pluriel can be seen as a descendant of the utilitarian Citroën Méhari and 2CV.
2006 C3’s redesigned front end features a more imposing bumper, wider lower air intake, single air intake slit below the restyled radiator grille and a re-positioned number plate. The rear now has newly designed lights with crystal coloured mid-sections. The passenger compartment has been enhanced with the fitting of a restyled dashboard with high-quality finish, as well as a new, modern instrument cluster making the driver information easier to read. The addition of light metallic grey embellishers around the central section of the fascia and air vents contribute to the updated interior, as do the completely re-designed front and rear door panels and trims. The steering has also been improved so that it weights up with speed.. Citroën also added a new 1.6 L 16-valve HDi diesel engine rated at 110 bhp. The Pluriel received the interior alterations but was otherwise unchanged.
Some versions of the C3 feature a “Stop & Start” system that can automatically cut the engine when not needed to save fuel, such as in traffic, and restart it briskly to move on again. Similar technology appeared in the 1980s Volkswagen Polo “Formel E” and the Volkswagen Golf Mk III “Ecomatic”.
“Eurovans” is a common name applied to nearly identical large MPVs resulting from Sevel, a joint-venture of PSA and Fiat, and manufactured at Sevel Nord factory in France, near Valenciennes. The first eurovans were sold as Citroën Evasion (Synergie), Fiat Ulysse, Lancia Zeta and Peugeot 806. The present, second generation, saw the renaming of all but the Ulysse to Citroën C8, Lancia Phedra and Peugeot 807 respectively.
The eurovans differ little technically and visually, being a prime example of badge engineering. The eurovans share mechanicals and body structure with Sevel light commercial vans, Citroën Jumpy (Dispatch), Fiat Scudo and Peugeot Expert. They are more technically related to PSA than Fiat vehicles, as PSA governs the Sevel Nord part of the joint-venture.
The first generation eurovans were introduced in 1994. They were similar in dimensions to their main competitor, Renault Espace, although they had a longer wheelbase. They were thus smaller than American vans, like the Chrysler Voyager, which is also a popular model in Europe. In contrast to the Espace and like American minivans they had sliding rear side doors, a trait they share with their commercial siblings. In spite of the fact that the Voyager also came in the “Grand” versions with elongated body and wheelbase (and the Espace followed suit in 1997), the eurovans only came in one size.
The Eurovans were almost identical, the differences consisting in different grilles, lower tailgates/taillights, wheel covers/alloy wheels and exterior and interior badging, as well as different trim levels. In October 1998, the eurovans were mildly facelifted.
Inside, the gear lever was mounted on the dashboard rather than on the floor, and the handbrake is on the door side of the driver’s seat, which allowed for the elimination of central console and opened up a passage between the front seats. The seating configurations included two fixed seats in front and three individual removable seats in the middle row, along with optional two individual removable seats or a three-seater bench in the third row.
The Evasion was badged Synergie in the right hand drive markets of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, presumably due to the existence of the English word “evasion” which is pronounced differently from the French and has different connotations (the word means ‘getting away from it all’ in French but ‘getting away with it’ in English). However, the car retained the Evasion name in New Zealand.
The Fiat was named after Ulysses, the Roman name for Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey. Ironically, one of Ulysse’s competitors is Honda Odyssey. Fiat Ulysse is the only eurovan which has retained the same name in the second generation.
Following the traditional naming theme, Lancia named its variant with the, previously unused, Greek letter Zeta. With its big chrome grille, the Lancia served as the “premium” eurovan, not available with base engines and exceptionally well equipped, with prices up to 20% higher than corresponding versions of other eurovans.
The 806 was named according to Peugeot’s trademarked “x0x” system, where the first digit indicates model series (vehicle size/class), while the last indicates the generation, with a central zero. The biggest Peugeot series to date was the executive sedan line “60x”, so Peugeot chose 8, leaving room for potential other model. The eurovans were launched when Peugeot was replacing the “x05″ with “x06″ models, so it was appropriately labelled “806″.
Belgian racing team Kronos Racing unveiled a highly modified racing version of Peugeot 806 with internals of Peugeot 405 Mi16 touring car in 1995 season. 806 even raced in the Spa 24 Hours competition at Spa-Francorchamps, but did not finish due to engine failure.
The first-generation eurovans utilized PSA’s XU/XUD engines, regardless of brand. They were later replaced by the PSA EW/DW engine. All were mated to 5-speed manual transmissions, except for the 2.0 16v petroleum engine, which had an option of a 4-speed automatic
The first-generation eurovans were superseded by a new model in 2002. The floorpan, wheelbase and suspension setup were not altered, but all exterior dimensions as well as front and rear tracks were increased. In particular, the increase in length by almost 30 cm greatly enhanced interior capacity. The new eurovans were afforded a much more bubbly, contemporary look, along with a modern-looking dashboard with centrally mounted gauges. The differences are now more pronounced, encompassing entire front fascias and rear sections (including head- and taillights), as well as different interior color themes. The Fiat and the Lancia are slightly wider than PSA vans, and the Phedra is also longer than other eurovans.
Except for the Fiat Ulysse, all the models have been renamed. The 806 was, as expected, replaced by 807, while Citroën chose to put the minivan in line with its new naming theme, where models were called Cx (x being a number roughly corresponding to the relative size of a given model), hence the Citroën C8. As the new Lancias didn’t use Greek letters anymore, the new minivan was called Lancia Phedra, in honor of the Greek mythological figure Phaedra.
To highlight the launch of the V6 engine, Peugeot presented a design study called Peugeot 807 Grand Toursime at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. Apart from the exquisite appointment of the 4-passenger interior and some mechanical and visual tuning, the car was essentially a top-of-the-line 807 in a peculiar purple color.
The engine range comprised again of different versions of the PSA EW/DW engine, paired with either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions. Additionally, top-of-the-line versions came with the PSA ES V6.
All diesels were PSA’s HDIs, but billed JTD by Fiat as well.
The Citroën Xsara is a small family car produced by French automaker Citroën since 1997.
Like its predecessor, the Citroën ZX, the Xsara shared the running gear with the Peugeot 306.
It came in three- and five-door hatchback and five-door estate body styles; the estate was marketed as the Break and the three-door as the Coupé. The straight-4 engine range includes 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines as well as 1.6, 1.9 and 2.0-litre turbodiesels.
The original Xsara was launched in 1997, and was available with different engine choices:
In 2000 the Xsara was facelifted; the car was now stiffer (so safety and handling improved), had a new front design and some interior modifications (i.e: new steering wheel). New 1.6i and 2.0i 16 valve engines were being introduced and 1.8L were removed. Now Xsara is offered with following engine choices:
The Xsara provided excellent ride, handling and refinement, but was largely sold on price because of stiff competition from the class leaders the Ford Focus and VW Golf. It was also let down by its staid styling.
The Xsara hatchback was discontinued and replaced by the stylish C4 in 2004. However, Station Wagon production continued into 2005. The Xsara continues to be produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile, a joint venture with the PSA Group.
Since 2005, the Xsara Picasso has been the only version of the Xsara to be built or sold in Europe.
The Xsara Picasso was Citroën’s answer to the enormously popular compact MPV Renault Scénic when it went on sale late in 1999 with two trim levels - LX and SX, and three engines - a 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrols, and a 2.0 Litre HDI engine. The rear seats could be removed to create extensive storage space. It soon became the bestselling multi-purpose vehicle in France, Great Britain, and most of the rest of Europe.[citation needed] The Xsara Picasso is also built in Brazil for the Latin American market since 2001, where it is the top selling car in its class.
In early 2003 the Xsara Picasso in the UK was given a 2.0i 16v engine with a four-speed Automatic gear box (the Picasso was only available with manual transmission for the first three years of production).[citation needed] In August 2006, Citroën unveiled its successor Citroën C4 Picasso, based on the Citroën C4. There are two versions, the Grand C4 Picasso seven-seat and the slightly smaller five-seat C4 Picasso. The Xsara Picasso will remain on sale as the smallest MPV in Citroën’s range.
Only 1.6i 16v, 1.6HDi 16v 92BHP and 1.6HDi 16v 110BHP is now available
The Xsara World Rally Car, based on the road-going Xsara hatchback but ultimately having very little resemblance to it under the skin, was a major competitor in the World Rally Championship and one of the most successful cars in WRC history. The car took Frenchman Sébastien Loeb to 28 rally wins, three consecutive Driver’s Championship titles from 2004 to 2006, and Citroën to three consecutive Manufacturer’s Championship titles in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Although it is the Frenchman who has proved the archetype Xsara WRC pilot virtually since its 2001 conception, Jesus Puras, Carlos Sainz and Francois Duval are among the other drivers to have won.
The Citroën C6 is an executive car produced by the French marque Citroën since 2006.
It is inspired by the C6 Lignage prototype which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but differs from the concept car’s styling in minor details. At the time it was hoped that the C6 would go into production by the end of 2001 as the replacement for the aging XM, which was first produced in 1989. The XM did cease production in early 2001 but the first C6 rolled off the production line almost four years later.
It is powered by either a 3.0 L ES9 V6 producing 211 hp (155 kW) or a 2.7 L V6 HDi diesel producing 204 hp (150 kW). In October 2006 was introduced yet another engine, a 2.2 L HDi producing 173 hp (125 kW) with FAP, four cylinders and a dual turbo.
The C6 is aimed as a stylish alternative to executive cars like the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its hatchback shape, the car is a fastback. It has a classic trunk and a unique to the C6 concave rear window such as the one its ancestor the Citroën CX used to have. Citroën hopes one of its main selling points will be its innovative technology, which includes a head-up display, a lane departure warning system, xenon directional headlamps (also available on the Citroën C5), Hydractive 3+ suspension with electronically controlled springing and damping, and a rear spoiler which automatically adjusts to speed and braking.
The C6 is the first car to obtain four stars in the pedestrian test rating of EuroNCAP due to the inventive design, where the bonnet pops up a little if a person/animal is hit and skids over the car.
On an episode of Top Gear, co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson tested the C6’s Hydractive suspension by mounting a camera on it and driving it on the infield of a track while filming a horse race. Despite the bumps and potholes on the infield, the C6 managed to provide a comfortable ride and stable video coverage of the race while moving at 60 km/h (approx. 40 mph). At the same time, a BMW 5-series performed the same test, but its suspension could not keep the camera upright.
Former French president Jacques Chirac has chosen the Citroën C6 as his official car, and has been using a pre-series car before the model was introduced.[citation needed]
The Citroën C4 Picasso is a range of two compact MPVs, a five-seater and a seven-seater (Grand C4 Picasso), unveiled by French automaker Citroën in August 2006 and presented at the 2006 Paris Motor Show in September 2006 for the seven-seater, and in January 2007 for the five-seater. It shares platform and engines with the Citroën C4 and Peugeot 307 and coexists with the Xsara Picasso, the previous compact MPV produced by Citroën.
The second C4 Picasso model was officially unveiled on January 5, 2007 and has been displayed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. For range consistency, the seven-seater is named Grand C4 Picasso. The C4 Picasso is produced in the Spanish factory of PSA in Vigo.
One of the main features of both cars is the enormous windscreen that provides a panoramic view and just about stretches beyond the driver’s head. There is also two separate blinds attached to the sun visors above the driver and passenger seats that can be adjusted to block the excessive amounts of light that are let in due to the large windscreen.
The Grand C4 Picasso is slightly larger than other seven-seat compact MPVs like the Mazda5 and Renault Grand Scénic, and even larger than some early large MPVs like the Citroën Evasion. For this reason, some critics consider it as a large MPV, while other do not because of its similarities in engine range, inner room and price with compact MPVs.
A pneumatic rear suspension is available as an option which make the ride smoother and can lower the sill. However in some countries the pneumatic suspension is available only on some models (Exclusive), while it is not available on low cost trim levels such as SX.
The 4 speed automatic, 6 speed EGS and 6 speed automatic have two shifting options of either the fully automated/automatic mode or the paddle-shifted manual mode, chosen by a column mounted mode selector. The EGS/automatic gearbox also brings with it an air conditioned storage compartment (fridge) including can holders, between the driver’s and the front passenger’s seat, where the manual transmission lever would usually be.
Models of both the five-seat and seven-seat C4 Picasso have been produced by Norev.
The Citroën C5 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since early 2001. The C5 replaced the Citroën Xantia in the large family car class.
The first generation C5 is available as a five-door liftback or station wagon. Unlike its predecessors, the C5 is a liftback with a three-box design and a hatch. This form actually disguises the hatch, so Citroën has completely reversed the design philosophy from the fastback sedan era of Robert Opron. Power comes from by 1.8 and 2.0-litre straight-4 and 2.9-litre V6 petrol engines as well as 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2-litre direct injection diesel engines.
The C5 is the last Citroën developed under the chairmanship of Jacques Calvet (1982-1999), a period which saw the marque’s historically distinctive design and engineering brand erode markedly.
The C5 had a further development of Citroën’s hydropneumatic suspension, now called Hydractive 3. The major change with this system was the use of electronic sensors to replace the mechanical height correctors seen in all previous hydropneumatic cars. This allowed the suspension computer to automatically control ride height: at high speed the suspension is lowered to reduce drag and at low speeds on bumpy roads the ride height is raised. Manual control of ride height was retained, though it was overridden by the computer if the car was driven at an inappropriate speed for the selected height. Certain cars also featured the computer controlled ride stiffness seen on the Xantia and XM.
In a major break with Citroën tradition, the brakes and steering were no longer powered by the same hydraulic system as the suspension. It has been speculated that the primary driver for this was the cost of developing electronic brake force distribution for the system when the PSA Group already had an implementation for conventional brakes. Another factor may be the highly responsive nature of Citroën C5 brakes, which some have found hard to adjust to on other hydropneumatic cars, though it is felt by some to be superior. It can be scary for a C5 driver used to the instant reactions of an older hydropneumatic car to drive another vehicle and find an inch of pedal travel before any significant braking is achieved.
In 2004, the C5 underwent a major facelift (new front and rear ends; same centre section) to bring it into line with the look of the new Citroën C4. The liftback was lengthened from 4618 mm (181.8 in) to 4745 mm (186.8 in) and the station wagon from 4755 mm (187.2 in) to 4840 mm (190.6 in). Also this new version got swivelling directional headlights.
The Hydractive suspension improves ride quality and keeps the car leveled and can enable the car to drive on three wheels if one tire is flat. The suspension is derived from the Hydropneumatic suspension used in the 1950’s Citroën DS. Variations in height using the Hydractive suspension range up to 15mm in the front and 11mm in the back.
The turbo power originates form two fixed turbochargers of identical size. Each of these can supply half the air input required to give the engine more power. Fuel mileage is 8.1 litres/100km - this was received from city and highway driving. The side windows are laminated to reduce noise from passing cars.
The second generation C5 was officially unveiled in October 2007, and it does not retain the liftback body style, now being a regular, three box saloon. The estate version is to be released in May 2008.
The Citroën C-Crosser is a compact crossover SUV, to go on sale in the summer of 2007 designed for the French manufacturer Citroën, and produced by Mitsubishi Motors on the basis of the new Outlander. The equivalent Peugeot badge-engineered version will be the 4007. It was expected that the car would be named the C7, but it has been announced that it will now be called the C-Crosser. The C-Crosser has taken its name from the four-wheel drive concept car that Citroën first displayed in the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show. .
Both the 4007 and C-Crosser will be the first Japan-produced cars sold under any French brand. They will be assembled in Mitsubishi’s Mizushima plant (水島製作所), Kurashiki, Okayama.
Occupants will benefit from the easily reconfigured second and third row of seats, which can be folded away quickly and effortlessly to provide a flat floor and vast load space. The rear two seats can be completely hidden away under the floor, while the second row of seating, slides to offer greater leg room or boot space, features a 60:40 split/fold function that is operated via electric controls in the boot. This allows for the car to be used for both sporting and also for transporting groups of up to 7 people, including the driver.
This is similar to the seating arrangement in the new Citroën C4 Picasso which also offers the capability of seating 7 persons.
The C-Crosser’s integral transmission allows drivers to have a choice of three settings, dependent on road conditions and driving style: two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and a lock setting designed for low-grip conditions. Ensuring an optimum blend of comfort, road holding and off-road capability. All these transmissions are selectable using the control behind the gear lever.
All the chrome parts on the front are chromed plastic